Environmental engineering firm Brown and Caldwell of Atlanta is teaming with Schnabel Engineering of Alpharetta on a $30-40 million dam construction project known as the Hickory Log Creek Water Supply Reservoir. It will be located 1.5 mi. northeast of downtown Canton.

The dam and reservoir comprise one of the first projects to meet Georgia's goal of regional water resources. The reservoir is a pumped-storage project using the natural flow from Hickory Log Creek, augmented by water pumped from the Etowah River during high-flow times for later release during low-flow periods. Construction on the foundation is slated to begin in August, with completion expected by fall 2007.

Georgia Contract Activity Moves Up 4 Percent in January

The overall value of January contracts for future construction in Georgia increased by 4 percent over the same period of a year ago, McGraw-Hill Construction reported recently.

The only positive news was confined to the nonbuilding sector, however, which recorded a 33 percent improvement compared to January 2004. The value of nonbuilding contracts was nearly $278 million for the month, up from $209.7 million. The value of residential contracts was flat compared to last year, with a total of $1.1 billion. The nonresidential category declined 2 percent to tally $319.9 million, down from last January's $326 million total.

U.S. Army Selects Contractors for Base Housing Program

The U.S. Army selected Clark Pinnacle of Bethesda, Md., as its development partner for the Fort Benning Residential Community Initative, which calls for the replacement and renovation of military family housing communities at Fort Benning and Porter Village.

The approximately $600 million, 10-year planned development will consist of 3,600 new homes and renovation of approximately 540 existing homes.

Clark Pinnacle is a joint venture between Bethesda-based Clark Realty Capital and Pinnacle, which is a Seattle-based management services company. The Fort Benning project is the fourth RCI project by Clark Pinnacle for Department of Defense government housing communities.

Clark will manage the project's development, design, construction and asset management, while Pinnacle will handle property management operations. Pending approval by the Department of the Army and Congress, work is expected to begin this fall. Source: Engineering News-Record.

GUCA Takes Part in TV's Extreme Home Makeover

The Georgia Utility Contractors Association, currently presided over by Brent Scarbrough of Brent Scarbrough & Co., Fayettville, turned a dream into reality for a needy family in Lake City.

The Harper family unknowingly bought a home with severe sewage drainage problems - so severe that the house was not habitable. Scarbrough teamed up with Southeastern Clearing Systems, also of Fayetteville, to demolish the home in what Extreme Makeover's TV host Ty Pennington said was "the most amazing demolition that I have ever seen." The demolition was accomplished in just three minutes by heavy equipment donated by a consortium of other GUCA members. After a new sewage easement and the installation of a new sewer line, Scarbrough excavated the basement and backfilled the walls and foundation with stone.

The Harper's new home was provided by Beazer Homes of Atlanta.